K-pop singer Seunghan is leaving the boy group Riize, according to a social media post from the group’s official account.

The news comes just two days after Wizard Production, the SM Entertainment production team in charge of the group, announced the 21-year-old would be making his long-awaited return from a nearly yearlong hiatus.

In a statement posted to Riize’s official account on X (formerly Twitter) on Oct. 13, translated by Soompi, Wizard Production apologized to Briize (the official name for the group’s fan base) for “hurting” and “causing confusion” with their Oct. 11 announcement that Seunghan would be returning to the group. The quick reversal seemed to come as a surprise to the group’s fan base, with many of the post’s replies and reposts coming from seemingly shocked and upset fans.

Seunghan was put on an indefinite hiatus in November 2023 after photos and videos from his personal life before the group debuted were leaked online. The leaks showed him kissing an unidentified woman in a bed and smoking a cigarette.

The Oct. 11 statement, translated by Soompi, that announced Seunghan’s return expressed optimism about the group’s future, explaining that the singer was expected to return to group activities in November.

The statement read in part: “We [Wizard Production] poured our heart and soul into planning out RIIZE even before their debut, and we have determined that RIIZE’s next chapter would be even more meaningful if the seven members were together. Therefore, after numerous discussions with the staff and members about the direction of the group’s future activities, it has been decided that Seunghan will be returning to the group.”

Despite many positive online responses to the announcement that Seunghan would return, some fans protested his return by sending funeral wreaths to SM Entertainment’s headquarters, meant to show their opposition to the decision.

The Oct. 13 statement said the company thought Seunghan returning after “reflecting on his past wrongdoings” would “be able to give the artist and the fans greater joy.” It continued: “However, the announcement of his return, we ruminated carefully on each and every one of the opinions and responses sent in by fans, and we realized that our decision had actually hurt fans more and caused them greater confusion instead.”

“At the same time, Seunghan has consistently expressed his desire to leave the group for the sake of the members and the fans. Out of respect for the artist’s decision, we are announcing Seunghan’s departure from RIIZE, instead of his joining the group,” the statement continued.

In a handwritten letter posted to fan platform Weverse, Seunghan explained his departure from the group. “After pondering deeply whether I’ve been thinking only of myself too much, whether I’m causing too much harm to the members and the company, and whether it’s really okay for me to be part of RIIZE, who should be loved, I only felt worried and apologetic,” he said in the statement, translated by Soompi.

“So I think that my leaving the group is the right path for everyone. I don’t want to cause any more hurt or confusion for the fans, and I don’t want to harm the members any further, and I also don’t want to hurt the company any further,” he continued in the statement.

The singer added in the statement he didn’t want the relationship between RIIZE and its fans to be “damaged.” “It also breaks my heart to see the fans, for whom it should be more than enough to just love RIIZE, fighting with each other because of me,” he wrote.

At the time of publication, a Change.Org petition created on Oct. 13 titled “We want seunghan back! Riize is 7!!!!!” posted by a user named Lauren Lim had garnered over 85,000 signatures.

Riize has not released any further statements.

October 14, 8:33pm. Updates to include funeral wreaths were sent to SM Entertainment.